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Joe Thornton VS William Nylander

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ottomaddox

ottomaddox

Registered User
Oct 31, 2017
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Toronto
Joe Thornton is going to be interesting to watch this season. I think that if he can prove he's still got some hockey left in him that TOR won't rely on Nylander for things like filling in on the number 2C role. Also I think that Joe's vision /playmaking ability might keep Nylander off the 1st PP.

Imagine

Tavares Thornton Matthews
Rielly Marner

on the top PP. It could work well with so many great passers and shooters.

What do you think?
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I think they may go back to running two balanced units more so than just dropping Nylander off (I expect Thornton to be on one of the PP units). There will probably be a fair amount of experimentation over the first half of the season. But I can't see Thornton being more productive than Nylander even on the PP given where they are in their careers.

That said, there will be limits to how much they play Thornton given his age. He probably won't get more than 15 min a night. But now the teams depth centre position is actually pretty strong given that Spezza. Nylander, kerfoot and Thornton can all fill in if need be.
 
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Nylander proved to be an elite net front guy on the powerplay last season. If thornton replaced anyone on the top unit I'd lean more towards Marner, but I'd rather Thornton just teach Marner to be more deceptive.
 
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They may still use nylander on the top pp unit and may use him as the bumper and as an additional option for the zone entry. He was flawless at controlled entries before his new contract. Thornton and spezza will most likely switch in and out every day where they will anchor the 2nd pp unit. I see thornton potentially playing marner’s role on that 2nd pp.
 
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Joey Hoser said:
You're probably right about Thornton playing 2C in a pinch over Nylander, but he certainly isn't going to play meaningful offensive situations ahead of him.

Nylander is going to score more goals than Thornton is going to get points. Maybe twice as many.
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Yep. A guy whonwas on pace for 36 points last year isn't replacing a guy who was on pace for 70.

But positively he gives the Leafs coaches a lot more flexibility
 
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If someone is being taken away from PP1 to make space for Jumbo, it will most likely be Marner, not bc Marner sucks but it is bc both of them are pass first player that needs the puck on their stick to be effective.
I would set up AM and Willie on opposite wings and have JT in front of the net and let Jumbo be the QB behind the net, but that will never happen.
 
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Joey Hoser said:
You're probably right about Thornton playing 2C in a pinch over Nylander, but he certainly isn't going to play meaningful offensive situations ahead of him.

Nylander is going to score more goals than Thornton is going to get points. Maybe twice as many.
Click to expand...
Or maybe Keefe will row with three lines,
Hyman-AM-Marner
Soup-JT-Kerfoot
Vesey-Jumbo-Willie

imagine Jumbo setting up Willie
 
People still severely under appreciate Nylander on these boards. One of the best net front scorers last year will not be replaced at the front of the net by a 41 year old man. Thornton is still a great passer, but no way he deserves that spot.
 
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LeafsOHLRangers98 said:
People still severely under appreciate Nylander on these boards. One of the best net front scorers last year will not be replaced at the front of the net by a 41 year old man. Thornton is still a great passer, but no way he deserves that spot.
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You might be right. Thornton might not be as good as Nylander next season. I do think that Thornton's 1509 career points might get him a try out or two playing with Matthews and Tavares.
 
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ottomaddox said:
He's not tough, he does not disrupt the goalie, he does not deflect shots like the best in the league, he shows fear of his shadow and defensemen who push him around, and he does not draw penalties from in front of the net.
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Oh your right makes complete sense now thanks.
 
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